Baby-carriage.



' No. 569,413. Patented Mar. .5, Ism.

G. A. LANCIAUX '& 0. F. SMITH.

BABY CARRIAGE.

(Appiimion med June 1e, 1900.)

UNrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. LANOIAUX AND OLIVER F. SMITH, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSA- CHUSETTS.

BABY-CARRIAG E.

SPEQIFIGATION forming' partfof Letters Patent No. 669,418, elated- March5, 1901.

Application filed June 16, 1900. Serial No. 20,548. (No model.) i

T0 all Lui/tom, t :fn/tty concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE A. LANCIAUX and OLIVER F. SMITH, citizens ofthe United States of America, and residents of Indian Orchard,Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Baby-Carriages, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of baby-carriageswherein the forward wheels of the carriage have the arrangement andmanner of operation of casterwheels, the advantage of which consists inthe ability to turn the carriage completely or partially by sidewisepressure on the pushhandle without the necessity of forcing d'ownwardlyupon the push-handle, so as to tilt the vehicle to raise the frontwheels clear of the ground, as most commonly practiced where the frontwheels are journaled axially horizontally.

This invention particularly relates to certain specific constructionsand. combinations or arrangements of parts comprised in the running-gearof the vehicle to the end of rendering the same cheap and simple ofconstruction,involving but few parts,which while not necessarily nicelyor finely finished fulfil their requirements adequately and so that thecarriage will in protracted use be found convenient and satisfactory.

The invention consists in the constructions and combination of parts, ashereinafter particularly described in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings and as set forth specifically in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the baby-carriage inthe running-gear of which the subject-matter of this invention iscomprised. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same with a part insection for the purposes of clearer illustration. Fig. 3 is a sectionalview of certain parts shown in Fig. 2, but drawn on a larger scale andillustrative of structural features and appliances to be particularlymentioned hereinafter. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line 4E 4, Fig. 3.

the carriage, and B the axle for the rear wheels O, which are journaledon the ends thereof, as usual. The flat curved springs a support therear portion of the carriage-body above the axle for the rear wheels.The forward portion of the carriage-body is supported by the duplicatedfiat C-shaped springs b b, which are provided between the lower forwardportion of the body and the horizontal cross-bar C, which in the presentarrangement is substituted for the usual front-wheel axle. Theextremities of the said horizontal cross-bar are constructed withintegrallyformed upstanding axially-vertical tubular hubs d d, open fromtheir lower to their upper ends. The front wheels D D of the vehicle,which are considerably smaller than the rear wheels, are mounted to turnin the forks ff, each of which has an upwardlyextended stem or spindleg, fitted through and adapted to turn in the bore of the hubcl,

,and the upper end of each spindle is necked down and screw-threaded, asindicated at g2, receiving with a screw engagement the retainer h, whichis in substance a nut, although itis preferably made of an ornamentalshape. It is immaterial, however, if the rerainer h be constructed witha downwardlyextending screw-threaded stem, which screw engages in atapped socket formed axially within the upper end of theupwardly-extending spindle g of the front-wheel fork.

Inasmuch as it is not expected to secure a nice and close fitting of thespindle of the fork within the bore or socket in the upstanding hub,which is divided at the end of the horizontal cross-bar O, yet in orderto provide against the parts being shackly, we construct eachfork-spindle between its upper and lower ends with a vertical vorlongitudinally-arranged depression or groove t', and in this groove isplaced a spring j, bowed as to its length and preferably having its oneside rounded, while its other side is flat, the same beingcross-sectionally. somewhat less than semicircular in form. Theextremities of this bowed spring will bear at the opposite ends of thebase of the groove, while its rounded back will have bearing on theinternal peripheral Wall of the bored hub. In the assemblage of theseparts the bowed spring IOO is placed in the groove before the spindle isinserted t-hrough the tubular hub, and in the insertion of the spindlethrough the hub the spring is compressed to permit of such, theYreaction of the spring serving for an indefinite period to take up anylooseness in the beai-,

ing, preventing vibration, and insuring that the front-Wheel forks willnot turn in their vertical journal more freely than is desirable.

In the running-gear shown reach-springs are provided, as indicated at c,the sameextending from the rear-Wheel axle forwardly to connection withthe forward cross-bar C.

hubs and the retainers h h substantially as described and shown.

2. In a baby-carriage, in combination, the bodyAthe rear-wheel axle Band the crossbar C under the forward part of the body,

vsaid bar having at its ends the integrallycast upstanding tubular hubsd CZ supporting-springs between said rear axle and said vbar C and thebody,the front Wheels D D and the forks j' f therefor each having anupwardly-extending spindle fitting through the bores of said tubularhubs and each having a longitudinal groove i, the bowed springj havingits extremities in bearing at the ends of the base of the groove andhaving its back reacting against the internal peripheral wall in thehub, and the retainers h h substantially as described and shown.

Signed vby us at Springfield, Massachusetts, this 15th day of June,1900.

GEORGE A. LANGIAUX. OLIVER E. SMITH.

Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLoWs, E. M. KNIGHT.

